Editor's Note - Brief Article - Editorial

Arts & Activities, Dec, 2000 by Maryellen Bridge

This month, why not weave some fiber into your curriculum? Not everyone will be able to grow their own cotton, spin it and use it in various crafts projects, but our Cover Story, "Cotton Pickin' Good Time" (page 16), will inspire you to investigate your own "home-spun" possibilities. "Mixed-Media Maskmaking" (page 18), is the result of one teacher's search for a "new and different" vehicle by which to challenge her students. Having made plaster-gauze and clay masks, these students were ready for something more challenging, and leather filled the bill nicely. These kids stretched their creative abilities, as evidenced by the artistic draping of soft leather, the precise application of acrylic paint, and the thoughtful placement of other embellishments.

Howard Hull's "More Than a Potholder: Imaginative Weaving" (page 20) offers ideas for looking at "warp and weft" in new ways. The ubiquitous potholder has a place in the elementary curriculum, but there are many ways to add to the fun. Paper bags, wallpaper, construction paper, newspapers and magazines all come into play as wonderful woven artworks take form.

Every student can and should enjoy the benefits the fabric arts can provide,including the expression of their own individual creativity. "Artful Inclusion: Snakes In the Grass ... Weaving Success for Everyone" (page 29) is the story of a delightful experience specifically designed for children with special needs. Here, the children learned the basics of weaving and had the opportunity to develop their new skills through a variety of methods. They then moved on to creating a stuffed "snake" out of muslin, designing beautiful "skin" with fabric paint.

Between classes, the "snakeskins" were sewn together by adult staff. The children then stuffed their slithery friends with fiberfill. Unique touches and facial features were added with assorted buttons, felt and leather scraps. During the next class session, the children wove their individual snakes into a group artwork. Imagine the excitement when the children's "Snakes In the Grass" was displayed at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, N.Y., as part of the "I Can, We Can" exhibit. Indeed, everyone can!

Other craft forms are featured in "Learning from Exhibitions: American Modern, 1925-1940," an article that highlights the traveling exhibit of the same name. Documenting this country's design-arts achievements during this period, the exhibition includes beautiful examples of utilitarian objects influenced by the technology and materials of that time. From an Electrolux vacuum to an Eastman Kodak Camera and Box, these objects possess a clean, geometric style that reflected American life in the '20s, '30s and '40s. Your students' minds will be opened to how far art and design reach into our daily lives.

There are many ways to add more "substance" to your art curriculum with fiber, fabric, texture and crafts. The ideas and projects presented here can be easily woven into your lesson plans, and your students will thrive in the stimulating environment that you create.